


Taller Than I Am

by Gracieus



Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Aged Up, Cute, Fluff, M/M, Short One Shot, Swearing, maybe more to come? - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-03
Updated: 2017-10-03
Packaged: 2019-01-08 18:10:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12259479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gracieus/pseuds/Gracieus
Summary: "Much can change during Summer holiday. Some people move away, some take up an instrument, some kiss a girl, some kiss a guy, and some just get a little bit taller." Richie Tozier has to deal with looking at Eddie from a new perspective and he is not happy about it.





	Taller Than I Am

Much can change during Summer holiday. Some people move away, some take up an instrument, some kiss a girl, some kiss a guy, and some just get a little bit taller. It’s nothing weird and there was no  _real_ reason why it bumped Richie out this much. He could have seen it coming after all. Bill had always been a bit taller, just like Stan and Mike, hell even Beverley! But, it had never bothered him until now.

It was the first time Richie had been excited to get back to school. School wasn’t too hard for him, hell if he tried he could be at the top of his class, but he just didn’t give a shit. The only good part was being able to see his friends and dicking around. That is if they weren’t hiding from Bowers and his gang of asshole. But this year would be different! They were seniors now and there were no bullies that would try to fuck with them. Everything would be awesome, at least he thought so until he saw Eddie.

“Hey Richie, you had a good Summer?” Richie’s eyes went wide as he looked up from his locker and saw his boyfriend for the first time in months. Eddie looked taller than he remembered, like,  _a lot_ taller. He was at least as tall as Bill now and maybe even taller. He didn’t look lanky like Richie either, in fact, Eddie looked healthier than he had ever done. He had even gotten a tan when visiting his family in Florida. Richie had expected Eddie’s extended family to be just like Sonia, but she’d rather lock Eddie up than let him sit out in the sun without six bottles of sunscreen splattered on him.

“What the fuck happened to you?” Richie wrinkled his nose at Eddie before shutting his locker a little harder than necessary,

“What do you mean ‘ _what the fuck happened to you?_ ’ Is that the first thing you’re gonna say when you see me after months? What’s wrong with you, Richie?” Eddie was clearly hurt by his friend’s reaction, but Richie never knew what to do when he went too far so he just made it worse.

“You know, just the same old trashmouth.” He grumbled before pushing past Eddie.  _Stupid Eddie, being all tall like that, who did he think he was?_

Richie was so quiet the next period that his friends began to worry about him.

“S-something wrong, Richie?” Bill whispered over to Richie who just shrugged. 

“Yeah, you haven’t mentioned your penis in a while and we’re beginning to think if it fell off.” Stan added while he continued to diligently take notes.

“Knock it off...” That did get Stan’s attention.

“Knock it off?  _Knock_  it off? Did you finally fill up the swear jar?” Richie ground his teeth but remained quiet. Stan and Bill shared a meaningful look.

During the day Richie returned to his old self, he could never keep up the quiet act for too long, but somehow the tension never quite left the room. It wasn’t until he met Eddie after school that he was forced to confront his feelings. They had made a habit of walking home together when one of Bowers’ trashed Richie’s bike. He’d asked his parents for a new one, but they always seemed to forget about it. Eddie’s bike was somehow mysteriously  _misplaced_  and his mom believed walking was saver anyway. Even after Richie got a new bike and Eddie found his, they continued their walks. It was actually on one of these walks that they had confessed their feelings for each other.

Eddie was waiting for him at the usual place, looking all tall and annoying. Richie nodded to acknowledge him, but didn’t slow down as he passed his boyfriend. Eddie quickly followed behind him, looking down at his feet. 

“Bill and Stan told me you were quiet the whole first period. I’d be proud if I wasn’t so worried... you didn’t  _see_ something, did you?” Eddie added the last thing in a whisper. They never talked about what happened. They all would rather forget about it and as time passed they were already beginning to.

“No, no, nothing like that. Don’t worry, Eds, I would have told you.” Richie’s cheeks burned and he felt like an idiot for making Eddie and the rest think something serious was going on. Really, he was just being an ass, but what’s new.

“Good...” Eddie said, feeling a little reassured. He had stopped trying to correct Richie whenever he called him Eds. It still made his heart flutter as stupid as it was.

“Then will you tell me what  _is_  going on?” Eddie asked, cocking his head. Richie sighed, throwing his head back.

“You’re just so fucking tall now. You’re a freak, someone should just tell you and I guess it’s me. You’re just freakingly huge. The only thing bigger is my dick. Trees get jealous looking at you-...” Richie began to ramble when Eddie suddenly sprinted away.

“Eddie!” Richie shouted before running after him. It was harder to keep up with him than before. “You asked so don’t get mad at me if you don’t like the answer.”

“You’re just like my mother.” Eddie spat.

“Erm last time I checked when I sit around the house, I don’t actually-...”

“Beep beep, Richie.” He let his mouth fall close and looked at Eddie with wide eyes. His heart was racing. He had seriously fucked up and he didn’t know how to fix this. He felt like he was falling.

“You just want me to be small so you can protect me forever, and now I’m taller and don’t need protection, you’re acting like I did something wrong!” Eddie was bright red and his chest was heaving. But, he looked stronger. This wasn’t a beginning asthma attack, this was pure raw emotion raging through him. 

“Eddie, I already fucking now you don’t need protection. You lived through the same shit as I did! No, staph infection or fucking Clownold McForehead can hurt you. I’m just sad because...” Richie took a deep breath to steady himself. “everyone is growing up. You’re all looking at colleges, getting jobs and doing - I don’t know - taxes or whatever, and I’m just little old trashmouth. I’m sad, because... you’re all going to outgrow me and I don’t want  _you_  to outgrow me.” Eddie narrowed his eyes.

“Are you insane?” Eddie put down his backpack.

“Eddie...”

“No, really has your brain finally given in? You think I’m going to  _literally outgrow_  you? What’s wrong with you, you idiot.” Eddie said grabbing one strap of Richie’s backpack and pulling him closer. Eddie wrapped his arms around Richie who still seemed unconvinced.

“There is no outgrowing you, Richie Tozier, you’re like mold.” Eddie nuzzled Richie’s neck and the now shorter boy was beginning to give in.

“You hate mold...” He pouted

“But I love you.” Eddie whispered to Richie’s neck before pressing a kiss on the soft skin. “And you’ve grown too, even if you don’t see it. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”

“You never complain when I’m hard...” Richie murmured

“There he is.” Eddie chuckled. Richie smiled before kissing his sweet boyfriend. He didn’t even mind that much that he had to turn his head upwards to do it,

“Thanks, Eds.” 

“That’s what boyfriends are for. Besides I kind of like shorter boys better anyways.” Eddie grinned, lifting Richie up just a little bit.

“Is that so? Because I always had a thing for tall guys.” Richie said playing along.

“Good, because when we get home, I’m going to put you in all my new big sweaters and you’re going to look so  _cute, cute cute_.” Eddie teased as he pinched Richie’s cheek.

“Payback’s a bitch” Richie laughed while shaking his head. They kissed once more before walking off together, their fingers laced together.

“What was that you said? Trees get jealous looking at me?” Eddie chuckled.

“Yeah, because I’ll be climbing you tonight.” The two lovers walked off together into the sunset.

 


End file.
